Curried Cashew Shrimp with Garlic Cilantro Rice

It's a cold evening in New York and it wanted warming up with a dish that's got echoes of the tropics with coconut milk, garlic, cilantro, shrimp, and rice. With a rice cooker to cook the rice, you can whip up this meal in half an hour.

Heat the oil to fry the minced garlic

Brown the rice in garlic and oil

In a bowl, toss shrimp with curry powder, ginger, and salt

Zucchini half-rounds, chunks of red sweet pepper, and shrimp

Brown the cashew nuts whole

Add he shrimp to the cashew nuts

Add the zucchini and peppers

Pour in the coconut milk

Adding the Greek-style yogurt

Some brown sugar and fish sauce

Garlic cilantro rice ready to serve

Curried Cashew Shrimp with Garlic Cilantro Rice

For the rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups (3 rice cooker cups) uncooked Thai jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using chicken broth)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

For the shrimp
1/4 cup cashews, whole or pieces, roasted or raw
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 pound or 2 cups shrimp, shelled and deveined with tails on
4 teaspoons curry powder, hot or mild
1 tablespoon or more minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds and halved
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons fish sauce

Preparation
For the rice
Brown the rice. In a 10-inch skillet, heat the oil and fry the garlic 30 seconds until golden brown. Add the uncooked rice to the pan and fry until the rice grains are coated with oil.
Cook the rice. Scrape the browned rice grains into the rice cooker. Add the broth or water until it comes up to the first knuckle of your finger dipped into the top of the rice, about 1 1/2 cups liquid. Add salt, if using. Cover the rice cooker and press the button to start. Just before serving, mix in the cilantro leaves.

For the shrimp
Season the shrimp. In a medium bowl, put the shrimp. Add the curry powder, ginger, and salt. Toss to coat thoroughly. Set aside.
Stir-fry. Heat a 12-inch skillet. Add the cashews and brown until lightly golden. Spray cooking spray on the cashews and turn.  Add the oil and heat until shimmering, turning the nuts frequently. Add the shrimp, peppers, and zucchini. Cook on medium high heat until the shrimp turns pink.
Make the sauce. Add the coconut milk to the shrimp mixture in the pan. Turn the heat to low and allow to come to a slow boil, about 5-6 minutes. Add the yogurt and combine. Stir in the sugar. Sprinkle fish sauce on top, or add more to taste. Serve hot with garlic cilantro rice.